Luis E. Torres of Jersey City, pictured in a photo provided by Morris County authorities.

MORRISTOWN — A 37-year-old Jersey City man pleaded not guilty today to charges, including aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide, in an accident last August in Jefferson that killed three relatives.

Luis E. Torres was intoxicated when he drove home with his family from a birthday-party barbecue at Tomahawk Lake in Sparta and flipped his Ford Explorer on Route 15, crashing into a home, according to authorities.

Killed in the Aug. 24 accident were Torres’ mother-in-law, Lucila Colon, 62; his stepdaughter, Tevia Booth, 11, and Colon’s niece, Julissa Colon, 36, who was five months pregnant. All of them lived in Jersey City.

Torres pleaded not guilty to all the charges during his arraignment today in Superior Court in Morristown on a 13-count indictment.

Torres, who was also charged with assault by auto and driving while intoxicated, allegedly told Jefferson police he had been drinking beer throughout the day and was “probably twice the legal limit.”

Morris County Assistant Prosecutor Brian DiGiacomo made a plea offer that would require Torres to accept a 27-year state prison sentence in exchange for pleading guilty to three counts of vehicular homicide. The manslaughter charges would be dismissed, but Torres would have to serve nearly 23 years before becoming eligible for parole.

Torres’ attorney, Arthur Abrams, said he is rejecting the plea offer.

DiGiacomo said he will be seeking to introduce a statement Torres made to police after the accident. Abrams said Torres was given his Miranda warnings and said he may agree to allow the statement to be heard.

After the crash, grieving family members called the incident an “accident” and said they are supporting Torres. Torres was released on a $750,000 bail bond after “the whole family chipped in,” Abrams said.